Wednesday, December 19, 2012

I bought some 0.5 mm colored cotton cords hoping to make some macrame jewelry. However, as you know, buying a whole spool means there is a lot to use up! If you are like me then you'll be thinking what other uses of the cord could be.

Ornamentea's tutorials (see below) using color cords definitely inspired me to try using it for earring designs. The designers over there are among my favorites for fun pieces. As you can see from my earrings above, you can incorporate cords in more contemporary style designs if that is your preference. Nor do you have to use multiple strands.

Some tips. I found it easier to prepare knotted strands on one end first so I could get two of close enough lengths.

The cotton cord I used is certainly smooth. So much so that the simple knot does slip on the metal square as shown on the left earring in the alternative picture below. You can tell that I was in such a hurry, I hadn't noticed it until later (composition and exposure were also off - some things even my Modahaus photo studio can't fix!). Perhaps a dab of glue is warranted to seal the knot in place.

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You could say Pearl was born to be a jewelry designer with a name like that! She is the author of The Beading Gem's Journal now simply called The Beading Gem, a popular jewelry making, inspirational and how-to website. Subscribe for your daily dose of tips and tutorials and more